LDA

[4thHorseman]

What advantage does the LDA Para Ordnance have over the SA 1911 style gun? The only advantage I can see is maybe a second strike capability.
Does any one else have any ideas or opinions on it?

 

[MilesTeg]

Personal preference but I don't care for carrying cocked and locked. I had a P10 for about a year and carried it cocked and locked but I often found the safety disengaged. Logically speaking my mind said you still have to actuate the grip safety and the trigger but another part of me was still uncomfortable and untrusting.

I started out with a S&W M66 and later a Beretta 92FS. As a result, I feel a lot more comfortable with the hammer down and safety on. The LDA allows this to happen while still retaining the classic look and feel of the 1911 (minus the trigger). For me that is a big advantage and I am keeping my eye open for the LLDA 6.45.

Outside of this personal preference, I don't see any other advantage over a SA 1911.

 

[GSB]

Yeah, basically it's for those who like the 1911 but prefer to carry with the hammer down. Don't know why nobody thought of it sooner. It's a pretty neat product.

BTW, I don't think you do get second strike with the LDA. I only handled one briefly in the store, but it seems to rely on the rearward travel of the slide to "set" the Light Double Action.

Maybe someone who owns one will let me know if I'm wrong or not.

 

[4thHorseman]

It seems to me if the trigger pull is near the pull of a SA, then there would be no safety aspect to it. Both triggers would be easy to pull and fire. Is it that the length of the pull is longer?

Also, Miles, why do you think you safety kept becoming disengaged on the P-10? Was it the right holster made for it, or did you carry it in an unusual place?

 

[Redlg155]

I believe the last time I checked one, it didn't have a "second strike" capability.

Yeah, basically it's for those who like the 1911 but prefer to carry with the hammer down. Don't know why nobody thought of it sooner. It's a pretty neat product.

Someone did come up with the idea sooner..or pretty close to it. It wasn't a "light double action", but it was a conversion to make a 1911 a DA type weapon. Who did the custom work, I can't remember, but I'm sure someone here knows of the name.


I don't see any real advantages to the LDA system vs the regular other than to appease the folks who would rather not carry cocked n locked.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[croyance]

You do not get a second strike with an LDA. Part of the reason the pull is so smooth is that there is an internal hammer that is "partially" cocked by the rearward movement of the slide.

It is a wonderful trigger pull though. It is a long, smooth pull that feels lighter than is really is. Every round I ever tried goes off, so it seems that the pull is not too light.

The trigger feels better than any revolver I tried. If you come from that background, it would be quick to adapt.

It may be that the LDA was designed for the nonenthusiast and LEO crowd. Many departments seem to require DAO or "safe" action firearms, either for bids on issue weapons, or for personal/off-duty weapons. The LDA, which also has a firing pin safety, would qualify for the "approved" lists.
Remember that those who only own for self-defence want the simplest possible controls. An LDA doesn't need to be carried with safety engaged.
That same part of the buying public often buys whatever the local police carry.

Redlg155, I believe the owner of Seecamp came up with a retrofit for 1911's to make it double action.

Cylinder and Slide also has a nifty conversion for 1911's and Hi-Powers that allows for hammer down carry. Dis-engaging the safety "cocks" the hammer.

 

[Duke]

I guess that it would be good for people or police agencies that are paranoid about cocked and locked. For me I have to agree with Col. Cooper that it is an answer to a question never asked.

Long live the 1911
MOLON LABE

 

[MilesTeg]

4thHorseman,

I had an IWB Uncle Mike's Sidekick (softcover) and a Galco Jak slide and it happened with both. I'm not sure how or why it would sometimes happen. The P10 was the Limited version and had ambi safeties - so maybe that contributed. My friend, who has a Kimber, has experienced the same thing but it does not bug him. I believe he has a Blade Tech or some other plastic holster. BTW - he does not like my Khar P9 or Glock's and their DAO's. He prefers to carry cocked and locked.

As for the LDA trigger, it is very smooooth but I think it takes a more deliberate and sustained action to pull it than a SA. That is where the additional (if any) "safety" comes from.


Miles

 

[CastleBravo]

Miles Teg,

So how is the Supreme Bashar doing today?

C.B.

 

[rhedley]

Redlg155
The 45 cal. DA conversion you spoke of was SEECAMP, the father of
LW Seecamp, maker of the 25 & 32 cal Seecamp pistol of today.

 

[GSB]

As for the LDA trigger, it is very smooooth but I think it takes a more deliberate and sustained action to pull it than a SA. That is where the additional (if any) "safety" comes from.

I don't know, it seemed like a really light pull to me, a little too light to be a safety feature in and of itself (like it is on my conventional DA/SA guns). But since it has the grip safety like any other 1911, I imagine one could carry it safely without engaging the thumb safety, but it's probably not something that Para encourages.

I suspect that one of the earlier posters had it right -- it's partly an effort to get it into some LE applicatons where DA is required by policy. I think it's also a pretty good idea for the CCW market, too.

 

[blades67]

The biggest advantage is that departments that do not allow SA firearms will allow the LDA because it is a DAO lockwork. The design allows for the weight of the trigger pull to be adjusted with the replacement of a single spring. For an officer wanting to carry a 1911, but not allowed because of department regs prohibiting the carry of SA guns, this is the answer.

 

[MilesTeg]

CastleBravo (Patrin?),

Living a dog's life and please just call me "The Bashar".

Just another obediant dog,
Miles

 

[4thHorseman]

If you had to carry one gun, would you perfer a LDA over the common 1911 style?

 

[Toomanyguns]

I own the 14 45 LDA. It does not allow second strike. The easiest way to describe the trigger pull is that it is similar to glock or Steyr or the HS 2000 only longer. I find the trigger works better for me than single action. I am not sure why but I shoot all of the above guns better than the SA 1911. I was carrying the LDA in a belt slide until I picked up a Glock 30 which is easier to conceal. I still carry the LDA in the winter time when a coat will conceal anything. I am not afraid of the cocked and locked carry but I do prefer to carry with no manual safety engaged and the LDA offers that option for the person who wants to carry a government stye personal defense gun.

 

[RickB]

The one LDA that I handled did not have a good trigger. There was an easy, smooth take-up, followed by a lumpy, squishy release. It really reminded me very much of a cap pistol.

 

[Newton]

Para LDA info.....

Well, that's a lot of stuff about the LDA. Here's what I know about them so far.....The LDA is a DAO pistol that doesn't have 2nd strike capability. The hammer has a cam inside it that has the hammer strut attached. When you cycle the slide, it's the cam you are actually cocking.(Hence the part description...Cocking Cam) The hammer has a light weight spring that is responsible for "resetting" it to the "half cock" position. The light double action is primarily available due to the fact that initially, it's this light weight spring tension that has to be over come to bring the hammer back (as is normal with all DA pistols) to the ready to strike position. Once in the ready to strike position, the drawbar is resting against the sear, and the next trigger move will cause the sear to break clear of the cocking cam, and full mainspring (approx. 22lbs) force throws the hammer down. The hammer has a safety notch which disallows the sear to break clear of the cam unless the hammer is in the ready position. LDA's also have standard thumb safety, grip safety, and series 80 firing pin plunger safety.
As a note, Para sets their trigger pull on the LDA at 5 to 7 lbs. There are competent smiths out there who are already bringing that weight way down to suit the descerning pro's who need the ittie bittie weights.
The LDA isn't just a "safe looking on the hip" pistol, they're really fun to shoot, and every bit as accurate as the Para SA line. They take a little bit to get used to due to the different characteristics of the trigger pull, but nothing a hundred rounds downrange won't fix.

 

[GSB]

I am not sure why but I shoot all of the above guns better than the SA 1911.

Some people do shoot good DAs better than they shoot SAs. The theory behind it is that some people find that with DA, they don't anticipate the "break" like they do on SAs. Every shot becomes that sought after "surprise" shot. In fact, according to the latest American Handgunner, that used to be the prevailing theory in competition.